The Slap
by GoldEye11548
Summary: This is Chapter 34 in the book written in Lucius's point of view. This is the part where Jessica slaps Lucius. Enjoy : One-shot


**Hey! This is my first one! I've rewritten Chapter 34 in Lucius's point of view. I just especially loved this chapter! Please review! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything. Everything belongs to Beth Fantaskey, author of **_**Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side, **_**'cause she's awesome like that!**

**Lucius POV**

I laid down on my bed, staring up at the ceiling. The smell of spleen from Jessica's disastrous yet kind attempt to cook a Romanian dinner for me still hung in the air. I glanced at the hollow box of chocolates, a gift from my Romanian cook. Antanasia's, no, Jessica's eyes were the same shade of brown as the chocolates, also sharing the milky quality. They are warm and welcoming whenever she decides to crack a smile at me, causing me to momentarily lose my train of thought. Valor, unwavering will, and fearlessness of a true vampire princess clearly shone through her eyes. Speaking of Jessica…

"I've got your laundry," she called, kicking at the shut door of my apartment. When I bring her to Romania, I'll be sure to have someone improve her manners.

Being the wonderful chivalrous leader I was taught to be, I swung open the door for her. Jessica was carrying a heaping basket of jumbled clothes and I accepted it from her. I frowned. Am I supposed to fold the clothes _myself_? A _Vladescu _does NOT complete such lowly chores.

Thinking there must be a mistake, I asked, "What is _this_?"

"Mom said you can start folding your own clothes." My theory was, unfortunately, proven right. Well, not to sound egotistical, I _am _correct most of the time even though Jessica constantly denies it.

"But~~" I began to protest…

"The free ride is over, Lucius," Jessica stated bluntly, following me further into my apartment.

I turned the basket upside down and unloaded my clothes onto the bed, and stepped back to survey the hopeless mess.

"I suppose it's too late to hire a washerwoman…" I said, speaking my thought aloud.

"Oh, for crying out loud. Don't be such a baby. I do this twice a week. And I don't think there are any 'washerwomen' around." Jessica said, finishing her speech with a dramatic exasperated sigh. Her beautiful eyes twinkled with amusement.

"That is _your _regional misfortune, not mine." I picked up a sock, dangling it in the air.

"Where does _one _begin?" I asked incredulously. Now, I no longer thought so lowly of the maids. Maybe I should start treating them nicer… Jessica would like that…

Jessica snatched the sock from my grasp.

"You say you can lead a vampire nation, but you can't match socks?"

That was an excellent question,

Unable to maintain a solemn expression, I let a grin that I couldn't suppress explode across my face.

"We are all skilled differently. Fortunately, my skills fall under the heading of leadership, not 'base chores,'" I pointed out.

Jessica's perfect pink lips curled up into a smile too.

"I'll help you – once." She said.

"Thank you, Jessica." I said like a perfect gentleman as I settled down on my leather chair. Well, she wasn't being specific.

"I said 'help,' not 'do it for you.'"

I knew I should've gotten up to stand next to Jessica. But, on the contrary, I slid even lower in the chair and laced my fingers behind my head.

"I believe I would be best served by a demonstration." I said, with a smirk planted on my face.

"You jerk," Jessica cried with mock anger. She tossed the sock back on the pile and grabbed my arm, trying to get me into an upright position. I pulled back effortlessly and being the stronger person, she ended up tumbling onto my chest. We were both laughing with mirth as if all the contradictions we had before had subsided.

The laughter receded and our eyes really connected. All the joking had faded away.

I studied her magnificent face and thought how I, Lucius, am extremely lucky to be her betrothed. I noticed how close we were and my heart started doing leaps and back flips, something that has never happened before. Because of my vampiric senses, I could her heart ready to burst out of her chest. I smiled internally at the effect I had on her that she would certainly deny.

"Jessica," I said softly, loving the way her name rolled off my tongue. My firm fingers grasped her wrists gently, savoring the touch.

"Yes, Lucius?" She asked in a hopeful tone, leaning more heavily against my chest. Maybe this courtship thing isn't going as bad as I thought. Her heart started to beat even harder.

Maybe I hadn't been bested by that squatty peasant Jake… Her warm brown eyes gazed into my black ones, shining with anticipation and brimming on the edge of… love. Her full lips were so close. It took all of my self control not to lean forward to tilt her chin towards me and connect her lips to mine. Desire and lust ripped through my body. Jessica didn't move an inch, hypnotized by my gaze so full of desire. Then, I focused on her hair.

Relinquishing her wrist, I tugged on one of her soft dark brown curls ever so slightly then letting it go, causing to bounce back. I noticed her hair lacked the greasy straightening lotion or something like that.

"You've changed your hair. Embraced your beautiful curls."

"Do you like it?" Of course, I like it! No… I love it! I wonder what it would feel like to have my fingers in her hair when I kiss her. Suddenly, numerous fantasies about Jessica and me played out in my mind. _Stop it! _I scolded myself.

"You know I do…" He twirled another lock around my finger. "This… this is true to you."

Jessica shifted slightly so that her hand now rested on the hard curve of my bicep. I tensed as she traced the scar that ripped across my arm and asked, "How… how did you get this?"

_Flashback_

_I was bound to a wooden chair by heavy ropes, because I refused to sit down when ordered to. I didn't understand anything at the moment. I was a mere seven-year-old. Uncle Vasile paced to and fro across the deathly silent room with his hands behind his back. "So, young Lucius. You were taught to obey every command given to you by the Elders, but today you decided not to. Therefore, you must be punished. A shame." He said, as a sick form of amusement shone through his ruthless eyes. He pulled out a whip made from the finest leather._

"_Honor. Disipline. Force. Ruthlessness. Do NOT turn your back from them for you are a vampire prince."_

_As Uncle Vasile growled out each word, I received a whip._

_"A true vampire prince must bear scars to prove that he is brave. That he is fearless. That he is invincible. That way, he will be truly respected and feared."_

_Then, he pulled out a sharp knife from his belt and slashed across my arm. _

_"This shall be your first scar." He cackled with glee as I let out pained groans and whimpers. As if enjoying my pain. _

I didn't need to haunt Jessica with these disturbing images.

_I _didn't even want this.

"An accident. Not a story worth telling." I said, hoping she would not recognize it as a lie.

She kept tracing the scar. She knew I was lying.

"You can tell me what happened," She urged. But I couldn't. I just couldn't. It _wasn't _the right time.

"Jessica." I groaned, encircling her waist. "If we could only not talk, right at this moment. If we could just _be." _I just wanted to hold her in my arms without being haunted by memories of the past.

She traced the scar on my jaw. I didn't want her to ask about that one too. I caught her soft hand and pulled away slightly. "Jessica…" I began to say.

"Do you really want that?" She whispered.

I kept my grip on her hand and brushed her soft palm against my lips. My lips tingled pleasantly with her touch. "Want what, Jessica?" I asked with genuine curiosity.

"What you said in class?"

No, she couldn't mean _that. _

"In class…?" I asked.

"A 'bitter, cruel, evil love'? Is that what you really want?"

That one question our moment of peace and connection. She had a good point, but I did not want to discuss this with her. In the vampire world, only this type of love existed. Vampires married eachother for the love of power but never for pure love and passion. "Pure love and passion," they are empty words to me for I have never experience them nor express them to someone. All my life I've treated like a robot that has no feelings and only lived to follow orders. However, Jessica and her parents were the only one who cared. I did _not _want bitter, cruel, evil love from Jessica. I cherished her sweet, kind, compassionate love even though she would deny that she loved me. Not wanting to discuss this with her, I sat upright, still holding her lovely hand and pulled her to her feet and gently pushed her away. I stood up as well.

"Lucius?" She asked, still inquiring an answer.

I smiled at her with sadness and decided to change the subject.

"We loiter, wasting time, and the laundry waits on the bed," I said. I leaned over the mattress and snatched up a pair of my undergarments or what America would call "boxers."

"At this rate, every wrinkle will be set. And a Vladescu may fold, under duress, but we do not iron."

"Lucius?" Aah… She just won't drop the subject.

"What exactly is going on with you and Faith?"

"Faith?" I asked, determined to avoid her eyes.

"Yes. Faith."

"She intrigues me." I admitted.

"Why? Why do you like her?"

If she only knew what I really thought of Faith. She was rather cross, but utterly faithless. Even though Faith is unaware of it, we share so many things: cruelty, ruthlessness, a shattered soul, and so much more. Perhaps I just appreciate I am not the only foul creature here in America and that I have company. Jessica, on the otherhand, is the Faith's total opposite. No matter how much I crave it, I do not deserve the foreign yet satiating kindness Jessica offered me. She won't understand my "relationship" with Faith and I won't ever figure out hers with Jake. Speaking of Jake…

"Oh, Jessica," I said with an exasperated tone. "I've asked you for months how you can favor a peasant, and you've never provided me a satisfactory response. Perhaps these things just can't be easily explained away." From the look on Jessica's face, she must have interpreted my message wrong.

"So you do _like _Faith?" Jealously shone through her chocolate eyes.

"I _appreciate _her." I was telling the truth.

"Is there a difference?" _YES THERE IS AN IMMENSE DIFFERENCE! _I wanted yell that out but that would be un-vampire-prince-like. In addition, I knew that after screaming out that sentence, I would admit my blossoming desire for Jessica. A vampire prince must _not _have emotions and must be ruthless, merciless. _I do NOT have feelings for Jessica, _I angrily told myself. Emotions would make me weak. _I do NOT have feelings for Jessica. _I repeated once more to myself.

I sighed and settled next to her on the edge of the bed, staring at the wall.

"Perhaps, Jessica. Does it really matter at this point?" Why does Jessica care? I'm probably wrong about what she thought about me anyways. _Of course I'm wrong about that, _I thought, trying to persuade myself_._ _She did not love me. I'm just some joke. I am NOT falling for her. _

"What does that mean? Why do you keep saying things like 'at this point'? Like the pact is over? And what about the war?"

"You don't even believe in the pact or the war." I countered, ignoring her first two questions.

"I do now," She insisted.

I was surprised yet I kept my emotionless mask up like a true vampire prince would do. On the first day we greeted, that was all I'd ever wanted to hear from her. Somehow, it didn't felt right and that made it lose its appeal.

Ignoring this revelation, I changed the subject and mused, "This upcoming Christmas dance. It's a much anticipated social event, is it no? Girls want to go, correct? Squatty will don his best 'overalls' and take you, yes?" Ah, insulting Jake always made me smile. Not that I'm burning with jealousy and want to drive a stake through his heart or anything like that…

"About Jake… I don't know if Jake and I are going to the formal. We're sort of… drifting apart."

Shrugging, I stood and resumed folding laundry. On the contrary, my heart was doing cartwheels and backflips and the sudden anger that appeared when we discussed Jake was snuffed. _It's about time. _I hastily pushed that thought away. No, this is none of my business and I should certainly _not _be happy about this.

"And you'll do what's 'right for you,' I guess," I said even though I wanted to tell her to just cut off the almost non-existent relationship with Jake already.

"This is America, as I am constantly reminded in social studies," I pointed out. "We all have a choice in everything here." I mimicked a scale with my hands. "Pepsi or Coke? Big Mac or Whopper? The old boyfriend or the new?" Did I just say, "The old boyfriend or the new"? Did I consider myself to be her new _boyfriend?_

"Yeah, what about Ethan?" Jessica asked. "He and Faith have been together forever."

"I just told you, Jessica. We all have a choice. Faith has a choice. Ethan has no claim on her. I've seen no ring on her finger." And there was no ring on Jessica's finger either…

I smiled at Jessica, who did not suffer like I did as a vampire.

"You are fortunate, Jessica," I said. "You are not bound so tightly by tradition, by the weight of the past. You are free here. Not only to choose a soft drink but your destiny. Rather exhilarating feeling, isn't it?" _I did not have that, _I though with a slight longing and sadness.

Suddenly anger replaced jealousy in her eyes.

"If you're so into Faith, then what the hell was that?" She pointed to the leather chair, where we'd just been intertwined together like the laundry on the bed. Where I was so close to crush my lips onto her perfect and welcoming lips. "Back in the chair? When you had your arm around me?" She demanded. "What was that, Lucius?"

I lowered the T-shirt I'd been folding, arms dropping to my sides. What was that? That was the best most heart-warming moment I have experienced. Instead, I told her…

"That, Jessica," I said sadly, "was very nearly a mistake." I cannot fall for her. If I did, she would be my weakness. If anything happened to her, I knew that would destroy me. My 'relationship' with Faith was safe. A cruel, bitter, evil 'love'.

She rose to her full height, her whole face in a deep shade of red. She was trembling with anger and indignation. What followed afterwards left me shell-shocked. She drew back her open hand and slapped me, a _Vladescu, _so hard across the face that my head snapped sideways. It stung. It stung even more when I realized that I _deserved _it. Her majestic eyes flashed with resentment as she glanced back.

I was still rubbing my jaw when she slammed the door.

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